


Crimson Blood, White Fur, Black Feathers

by Shadow_Bringer



Series: MadaTobi Week Prompts [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angel/Demon AU, Dimensional Travel, Izuna Uchiha also sorta doesn’t exist, M/M, Magic AU, Red eyes are blessed, The Uchiha Clan consists of birbs and kitties, Younger Senju siblings don’t exist, at least in the first AU, au in an au, in the second AU everyone is normal, madatobiweek2020, red eyes are favoured, sorta - Freeform, technically, the Senju Clan is a slapdash selection of creatures
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:14:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23756704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow_Bringer/pseuds/Shadow_Bringer
Summary: Tobirama didn’t mean for this to happen. It feels almost like a dream but... it’s one he could get used to, with time.———2020 Week 2ABO AU ORAngels & Demons AURed Eyes Are BlessedOR Magically Bonded
Relationships: Senju Tobirama/Uchiha Madara
Series: MadaTobi Week Prompts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1721632
Comments: 61
Kudos: 333





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The Uchihas are hardly what you’d expect from angels, even if they are the soldiers. Then again, the Senjus aren’t exactly the most demonic beings ever..._
> 
> _...When he was younger, he had always wanted to fly._

The Uchihas are hardly what you’d expect from angels, even if they are the soldiers. Then again, the Senjus aren’t exactly the most demonic beings ever. Well, besides Tobirama himself. He’s seen as the worst amongst demons, a title hardly given lightly, despite the way he never does more than he is forced. He treats his enemies well, when able, and his allies better even if they don’t understand his difficulties with emotion. He is as firm in his hope for peace as his brother, he just hides it better.

Perhaps that’s his problem.

His eyes trace Izuna’s crow wings unbidden. When he was younger, he had always wanted to fly. To see what it all looked like from so far in the sky. Izuna’s wings curl closer to his rival’s back and Tobirama’s eyes flicker up to meet Izuna’s. The angel is watching him almost curiously, an analytical glint in his eyes. In different circumstances, they perhaps could have been friends. They’re similar enough, after all, and Izuna’s one of the few beings besides Tobirama’s still-living brother that isn’t shy about meeting his eyes.

He turns his attention to their elder brothers, tail twitching in annoyance. There isn’t peace between their two clans, not yet, but the pair acts like there is. The time before battles, such as now, are filled with friendly bantering, even if Madara insists he’s no longer friends with Hashirama. Speaking of Madara... Tobirama’s eyes are drawn to the raven. His hair is down, as is usual, moving with almost a life of it’s own as he flails at Hashirama. His wings (perhaps those of a Eurasian Falcon but he’s never been as well-versed in birds as he should, considering those he’s fighting) are bristled out around him. Not in an angry way but rather more in excitement. When Madara is angry, his wings flare out, arching over him as if to intimidate whoever got on his bad side. He wonders, absently, what those dark feathers would feel like under his hands, how Madara would react to them being touched. They’re clearly sensitive or at least very important- nothing is is more heart-wrenching than the sound angels make when their wings are harmed in battle or, if they are particularly unlucky, their wings are removed entirely.

Madara slings his gunbai around, initiating the glorified sparring he and Hashirama indulge in. With that, the battle has begun. He avoids Izuna’s first strike, the silver shade of the heavenly blade gleaming in the dark night of the mortal world. He chases after his rival, whose momentum had sent him flickering by. He reaches out with the ragged edge of his own midnight-black sword but it’s deflected, if barely. Tobirama doesn’t pause, intent on keeping Izuna on the retreat. The angel is stronger than him physically and more powerful magically, but he’s faster. If he can stay on the offensive, he’ll stay alive. He twists under a retaliatory swipe of Izuna’s sword, reaching forward with his claws. A wing (raven- that annoying cousin of Izuna’s, Hikaku) slams into his side, sending him flying away. Uchiha, he’s learned throughout the years, have an annoying habit of helping each other fight, even if it’s only in passing. The only one they don’t help is Madara, and that’s likely because both Hashirama and their clan head are far too powerful for anyone besides maybe Tobirama and Izuna to get involved.

He hits the ground hard, rolling to his feet in an instant to avoid Izuna’s sword. He dances backwards several steps, Izuna following doggedly as they hit the tree line. The silver sword cuts through a tree like butter when he spins around it to put a little more space between his pursuer and himself. He opens his mouth, the scents and tastes of the forest flooding into his senses. He pulls himself easily into a tree to avoid another strike.

”Stop! Running!” Izuna spits, his words punctuated by two more attacks. Tobirama ignores him, leaping across several branches. There’s a leyline near, though it seems the Uchiha can’t sense it. If he can activate it and twist the magic to his use, he might be able to finally end this charade between their clans. Peace will come of it or all hope for peace will disappear. Either way, one or both of them will die.

”Where are you going?” The Uchiha snarls, his movements faltering for a moment. Tobirama takes advantage, snapping out with his magic. Izuna barely avoids getting his head taken off by a water blade. It does leave a red line across his throat, a testament to how close he had been to getting killed. Tobirama hisses when he has to dodge the fireball thrown out in retribution. Honestly, what kind of idiot uses _fire magic_ in a _forest_? With a sharp wave of his hand as he lets a strike glance off his own sword, the fires are doused in water. The air is left uncomfortably dry. No matter. He twists his sword, flinging Izuna’s sword away enough for him to slip away again. He ducks a swipe, slamming his free hand into the ground roughly where the leyline is, and _pulls_ at the surrounding magics.

The forest explodes into life around them even as Izuna curses and scrambles away. Black spots impede his vision as the magic crushes down around them. Tobirama would have been sent to his knees like Izuna if he hadn’t already been kneeling. This wasn’t, perhaps, his best idea. Then again, his ideas rarely ever have the best outcomes. Hopefully this one won’t end in his death or, if it does, he takes his rival out with him.

* * *

It’s dark, when he comes to. Dark visibly, at least, but the area is bathed in a glaring energy similar to magic but... _off_ , in some way he has no words to explain. He curls away from the light, drawing his magic in towards him for the first time in years. It’s rare that there’s enough strong magic (not magic) in one are to overwhelm his sensory abilities. The fiery nature of this not-magic is familiar to him in the worst possible way. It almost _tastes_ of Uchiha and at once he is in a strange balance of ease and wariness. On one hand, the Uchiha are his sworn enemies. On the other, Madara is an Uchiha. Oh, he knows the man very likely hates him, would never offer him any sort of protection, but emotions can’t be swayed with logic and he has long since given up on trying.

”You awake, Senju?” Izuna’s familiar voice growls. Despite the fact that they are in Uchiha territory, the angel seems oddly cautious and wary. Tobirama blinks again and his eyesight sharpens in a moment. With his new night vision, he shifts to a sitting position to take in his surroundings properly. He’s chained to the wall, small symbols etched into the cuffs. They press at his magic, keeping Tobirama from accessing most of his stores. He thinks they’re supposed to cut of his magic entirely but the odd not-magic’s grip is weaker than it should be, likely unused to how actual magic works. The floor in stone but the walls are wooden. Bars cut the room in half, leaving no guessing as to where he is. They are, he amends, taking in Izuna. The angel is chained up beside him, his wings tied to prevent them from moving. It just looks uncomfortable.

”Unfortunately. What happened?” Izuna sneers at him, leaning forward to pull at his bonds, like that will get him any closer to Tobirama.

”Why don’t you tell me?” The Uchiha hisses. “ _You’re_ the one that got us into this mess!” Tobirama hums, curling his tail around himself. Wherever they are, it’s related to the Uchiha in some way. Izuna is more likely to make it out of this alive than Tobirama is.

”I hadn’t expected the leyline to react quite as... explosively as it did,” he returns dryly.

”Leylines are currents of natural magics, including every type of magic including slivers of _necromancy_ and you though, what, that you could _control_ it without repercussions?” Izuna scoffs. “I had thought you were more intelligent than your monstrous brother-“ Tobirama snarls at the mention of Hashirama, lunging at Izuna to strain at his bonds.

”Leave him out of this!” Tobirama can take Izuna’s biting words and scathing remarks but he will not stand idly by if the Uchiha turns attention to Hashirama. Tobirama will protect his last living brother with all his life and soul, regardless of how. Izuna snaps up to sit straight, glaring at Tobirama. His wings twitch violent and the Uchiha makes a strangled noise when the wires cut into the appendages. Izuna falls back, freezing again when the movement draws out another whimper. Tobirama’s rage leaves him in an instant. He meets black eyes awash with pain. It takes a lot for him not to flinch away. Eventually, Izuna relaxes slightly, easing pressure off his wings. The Uchiha twists away from him, shutting down all conversation as he attempts to rid himself of the pain.

”...Are you alright?” Tobirama asks quietly. Izuna snorts.

”Stop pretending to care, Senju.” Tobirama watches the angel but doesn’t refute the words. Izuna likely wouldn’t believe him and, if he insisted, they might fall back into arguing. After a moment, he sighs and turns away from his rival, curling up to at least try for sleep. There’s little else he can do, after all.

They spend a time (the exact hours lost to them in the monotony of a room lit by a singular light, punctuated only by the food that had appeared when they were asleep) in silence, wary of their still-unknown captors. Whoever it is seems content to let Izuna and Tobirama be, for now, clearly trying to weaken them by not giving them quite enough for a human to survive off of. Just as clearly, they seem ignorant of what Tobirama had perceived as common knowledge: angels and demons simply don’t need as much food and water as their weaker human counterparts.

They don’t speak to each other. Sometimes, Tobirama blinks awake to Izuna humming or singing softly, the words to a song falling from his lips in the language unique to the Uchiha. He wonders how hard it must be on Izuna to be separated from his family, when the Uchiha are so known (scorned, feared, awed) for their ability to just... _love_ , with no strings attached. These times, he smiles bitterly, thinking on his own brother. Itama loved him. He could even say Kawarama love him. Hashirama though, Hashirama loves ideals and Tobirama had never fit his brother’s image of the perfect younger sibling. Too cruel, too sharp-tongued, too sarcastic or closed off or whatever Hashirama believes to be a flaw at any given time. Itama and Kawarama loved him but they died and, with them, Hashirama’s adoration of him. He smiles bitterly and he plans his escape, wondering if Hashirama would really like for him to return and destroy whatever idealized idea created of him in his absence.

Sometimes, Tobirama wonders if it wouldn’t be better if he died here, in this jail cell, with only his rival as company.

The next time Tobirama wakes, it’s to quiet murmuring. He doesn’t still the rhythmic swishing of his tail nor the twitching of his ears, knowing that if he did so, he’d likely alert the speakers to his wakefulness. He recognizes one voice to be Izuna’s, sniping out sharp comments that don’t quite make sense. The other is familiar but only in an abstract way. An odd, warped version of a voice he knows, sort of.

”Fine,” the familiar unfamiliar voice finally snaps. “Wake up your friend, we’ll see if he has a better lie for me.” Tobirama can’t stop his ears from pinning or his tail from bristling so he allows himself to respond, since his cover is already broken.

”I highly doubt either of us considers the other a friend,” Tobirama says as dryly as he can manage when he’s exhausted. Not from lack of sleep but more from too much sleep and not enough movement. 

”Finally decided to wake up, bastard?” Izuna hisses as he levers himself into a sitting position, already in a bad mood. Tobirama looks first to his companion, leveling the angel what Hashirama patented as his I’m-surrounded-by-jackasses look (not to be confused with his I’m-surrounded-by-dumbasses or Kami-strike-me-down-now looks). Izuna looks distinctly unimpressed. Finally, Tobirama turns his attention to their captor. In an instant, the air in his lungs has vanished, leaving him frozen and caught off guard.

This isn’t _possible_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Tobirama takes in the man outside their cell, trying to calm himself. There must be a logical explanation somewhere in this mess. He forces himself to relax, shifting to sit more comfortably in his cell..._
> 
> _...Then he bristles as sharp, burning anger snakes through him._

Tobirama takes in the man outside their cell, trying to calm himself. There must be a logical explanation _somewhere_ in this mess. He forces himself to relax, shifting to sit more comfortably in his cell. Black eyes watch him from an intrigued visage and the man leans a bit closer, balancing carefully on his gunbai. 

”Izuna?”

”I’d like to reiterate that this is _your_ fault,” Izuna says, instead of giving Tobirama anything useful to work off of. Tobirama shoots a glare at the angel.

”It’s not my fault you were too idiotic to realize what I was planning,” he snaps back.

”Oh, yeah, what was a I supposed to do? Read your mind?” Izuna asks, sarcasm dripping from his words. Tobirama wonders if he realizes just how many demon actually _can_ read each other’s minds.

”I wasn’t exactly making my destination a secret.”

”Well I didn’t think you were _stupid_ enough to activate a damn leyline!” Tobirama is about to say something back when he registers the soft laughing from outside the cell. One ear flicks as he freezes. For the barest moment, the cell is completely silent besides the laughter their captor is failing to stifle. Then he bristles as sharp, burning anger snakes through him. He whips around, bearing his fangs.

”Shut up, Uchiha!” He snarls, the name slipping from him. His eyes widen and he shrinks back, cursing himself for letting his anger get the best of him but the damage is done. The human outside the shared cell straightens, all mirth dying out. A single dark eye trains on him, cold and suspicious. Tobirama pins his ears, staring at the mirror image of Madara Uchiha. An imposter, he wants to believe, as Izuna likely does. A coincidence. But he can taste Madara’s scent, all wood smoke and spice, he can feel Madara’s fiery, engulfing magical presence, even if it’s twisted to fit the not-magic saturating this world.

World, because Tobirama is not an idiot.

He pulls further into himself, pressing back against the wooden wall. He knows what happened and the idea of it makes his soul ache, if he can even lay claim to having one. It is likely that he and Izuna will never see their families again, only mockeries like the one standing before them, wearing the skin of Madara. He had been willing to give all he is for a chance at his Anjia’s peace but this- this might be too much, even for him.

”Alright, I suppose we should be getting to what’s really important, anyway,” it’s Madara’s voice but it lacks the malice Tobirama has heard whenever the angel had conversed with a Senju not Hashirama. He wonders if his brother will ever learn that the Uchiha’s leader is not the paragon of goodness Hashirama seems to hold him to. “What are you two, animal spirits?” Tobirama can feel Izuna’s sharp eyes on him but he stays quiet, he can’t force out any words. It’s all he can do not to fall into a panic attack. His lips twist wryly. That certainly hasn’t been an issue in a long time.

“...Something like that,” Izuna finally says. It sounds like the angel might be cottoning on, finally. Their captor hums, apparently accepting Izuna’s answer at face value. He lingers for a moment, watching them, before finally leaving. He lets the light stay on.

”What did you do?” What did he do, indeed. He made a mistake, a mistake that might break him, that probably _will_ break him, but didn’t it achieve what he was aiming for? Izuna and Tobirama out of the way, Madara and Hashirama allowed to continue their relationship, this time with peace in mind (Tobirama holds no illusions- his brother and Izuna’s are hardly friends and certainly not rivals, though _obsession_ may be a more apt word than _love_ ).

”Tobirama,” Izuna says and he fancies he can hear a note of desperation in the Uchiha’s tone. “ _Tobirama_ , what did you _do_?” He smiles though the motion holds no humour or comfort and lifts his eyes to meet Izuna’s. It’s not something he would do, normally, and Izuna knows that. This, however, is hardly normal.

”I think,” he speaks slowly though it’s more because he has to force the words out than because he looks down on Izuna in any way, “that you already know the answer to that.”

* * *

When the Other Madara returns, it’s with an Uchiha Tobirama doesn’t recognize- not even in passing or from a glimpse on the battlefield. Someone who died or doesn’t exist back in their world. He can feel Izuna’s confusion, though, a half-remembered recognition. Likely someone from his childhood, then. Someone who died before Tobirama was old enough to join the battlefield- perhaps even before he was born. Izuna is older then him by about two years, after all, not that the angel has realized that.

Madara unlocks their cell and the unknown Uchiha steps in. The clan head (or perhaps not, everything here is so _strange_ , even just inside this little room) follows doggedly on the man’s heels, not bother to lock the door even though he closes it. Odd and _dangerous_ , if either Izuna or he were to get loose. Or perhaps not, since Izuna’s still rattled by the knowledge that this is his family, if a bit different than he’s used to. Tobirama is in no shape to pose a threat, either. The unknown heads straight for him and he bristles instinctively, pressing back against the wall as a warning growl rises, unbidden, in his chest. The man pauses, raising his hands placatingly. Showing off he has no weapons, though Tobirama know from experience that one doesn’t need weapons to kill.

”I’m not going to hurt you,” the man says soothingly. Tobirama doesn’t calm. He can’t, his mind is working too rapidly, and he won’t make the mistake of trusting an Uchiha. “I just need to get your chakra cuffs off.” That startled him into lowering his defenses. The Uchiha takes the last few steps left between them, crouching down even as Tobirama regains himself and bears his teeth in a decidedly unfriendly way. The Uchiha stops again, hands hovering between them cautiously. Tobirama stretches out his magic as best he can, brushing again the not-magic (chakra, perhaps?) that makes up the Uchiha. He feels only sincerity and worry and a flash of something he can’t quite get a hold of. He studies the man for a moment longer, watching his face for anything his magic might of missed. He finds nothing and raises his wrists, warily, for the Uchiha. The man offers a slight smiles and presses his thumbs into the bottom of Tobirama’s cuffs. With a careful application of... chakra that he has to refrain from flinching away from, the cuffs pop open with a click.

”I’m Uchiha Myoko though I prefer Kou,” The Uchiha introduces, “and the man with me is my younger brother and clan head, Madara.” Myoko. Tobirama remembers that name. The female child borne to Tajima, who studied Fūinjutsu and Iryō ninjutsu, who had died when Tobirama was just turning three. Izuna would have been five and likely wouldn’t have seen his sister too often so the hesitant recognition from the angel makes sense. But this Myoko- Kou -is male, or at least appears so, which makes the way the title of clan head skipped him to Madara a bit odd.

”Tobirama,” he finally returns, putting aside his mystery for later. Kou smiles more brightly, getting to his feet. He holds out a hand which Tobirama accepts after only a moment of hesitation. Across the cell, Izuna and Madara stand.

Izuna still has his chakra cuffs on, though he has been disconnected from the chains tying him to the wall. Tobirama cocks his head curiously but Izuna just gives the barest of shrugs and an envious look towards Tobirama’s free wrists.

”Kou-nii will get you two settled in your new quarters. After, we’ll talk about your presence here,” the Other Madara says, polite and kind-sounding. A large difference from the wrathfulness of his angelic self. Tobirama dips his head, not trusting his voice. He’s in no place to decline, regardless.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Tobirama and Izuna are given a few minutes to themselves in the small house they get as their own. It has three bedrooms in total, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a small yard complete with a pond and garden. It’s quaint..._
> 
> _...Superstition is understandable, he supposes, though he had never taken Madara as the type._

Tobirama and Izuna are given a few minutes to themselves in the small house they get as their own. It has three bedrooms in total, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a small yard complete with a pond and garden. It’s quaint. It’s also covered head to toe in the same chakra symbols on Izuna’s cuffs, which are more like particularly ugly bracelets than actual cuffs. It seems the symbols, for lack of better word, are passive instead of active and will only work if some one in the house uses too much chakra. Tobirama imagines that his magic will activate them just as easily.

These Uchiha aren’t complete idiots, whatever their easy trust in Tobirama might say.

”About Myoko- Kou-san,” Tobirama says, finally turning to his angelic companion. Izuna just gives him a tired look.

”My eldest sibling. I never knew her well. Or, well, him. I think he preferred the ‘him’ pronoun even in our- back home,” Izuna says without a fight. Of course, the information isn’t really useful, even if it is interesting. People (angels and demons included) rarely change their born pronouns. It’s not looked down on, per se, but you’ll still be judged based on your birth gender, so few people saw the point, even if they were more comfortable with the opposite pronoun. Tobirama never understood why some would refuse others’ preferences but, then again, he himself cares little for what others call him.

”He is... odd,” Tobirama remarks. Izuna hums, rolling his shoulders in what’s clearly meant to be a shrug but comes off more as a stretch of some sort. His wings, freed from their binds besides a short chain linking them together near the base, twitch with the motions. The angel probably has a lot of energy pent up and Tobirama can’t imagine it’s good for Izuna to be unable to stretch his wings properly.

”He’s a pacifist, as far as I know, but...” Izuna trails off hesitantly. _But he never knew his_ own _Kou, much less this alternate version of him,_ Tobirama finished silently. He sighs, rubbing at his eyes.

”Anyone else that I might need to know about?”

”Well... Kuro and Togakushi. They were my other two older brothers but they might not exist or if they do, they might not still be alive,” Izuna says. “Kuro was great at genjutsus and was probably the best of us at any sort of politics. Togakushi was more fond of assassinations, reconnaissance, and things like that than at outright battle. Neither of them really participated in bigger battles so they didn’t catch our enemies’ attention as much.” Tobirama nods but then he pauses, tilting his head at Izuna.

”...You were the youngest,” he says, a bit blindsided. For Izuna, the _youngest,_ to be two years older that _Tobirama_ and Madara, the _second eldest_ , to match _Hashirama’s_ age, that leaves a year for both Kuro and Togakushi to be born. That’s concerning, to say the least. Four children in three years, five in four, says a bit too much about Uchiha Tajima for Tobirama to be entirely comfortable.

”Toga and Kuro were twins,” Izuna offers, when he realizes just what has given Tobirama pause. He goes to reply, to tell the angel that it’s still _not right_ (women need time to rest and recuperate from something so stressful and Butsuma did _that_ correctly, even if he was a less-than-great father), but Kou returns before he can get anything else out.

”Are you ready?” The older man asks politely, his attention on Tobirama. He hesitates, his gazes sliding back to Izuna but the Uchiha ignores him, clearly done with their previous conversation. Not that Tobirama blames him, he has enough trouble talking of his own siblings that he should have known to back off sooner. That Izuna didn’t snap at him is a miracle in and of itself.

”We are,” Tobirama says after a moment, turning his attention back to Kou. The man smiles and nods slightly.

”If you’ll come with me?” Despite how it’s phrased, Tobirama is not foolish enough to think it is a request. Izuna comes closer in an unexpected show of solidarity. Perhaps it shouldn’t be so unexpected, since they _are_ stuck in this together, regardless of their personal feelings and the cause. The follow Kou from the guest quarters and into the open street beyond. They get many curious looks from the surrounding humans, Tobirama more so than his angelic companion. A few go so far as to trying to garner his attention and those that succeed almost always end up giving him a look of what seems to be awe, though he hasn’t a clue what the cause of such a look would be. Izuna is offered much more suspicion even though he shares their looks, temperament, and general... aura. Tobirama could _understand_ them unconsciously trusting _Izuna_ but they have not the slightest reason to trust himself.

It’s strange and a mystery and Tobirama doesn’t like not knowing, not understanding.

They’re ushered into the center most house, clearly the residence of the clan head, and their followers, likely guards, scatter. Apparently, they’re confident in their leader’s capabilities. Unsurprising, if this Madara is anything like his counterpart. Tobirama doubts the human, no matter the power he wields, would be enough to take on an angel or demon, much less both at once. He’s hardly going to mention that to their hosts, however.

”Madara-sama,” Kou greets as they enter the dining area. The table has food and four separate plates already set out. Madara rumbles a reply of some sort, his dark eyes trained on the two prisoners. Tobirama, more specifically. He’s really starting to get sick of all the staring and general intrigue, actually. Kou takes a seat at the table and Tobirama and Izuna are left lingering in the doorway.

”Uchiha-sama,” Izuna says after a moment. The words have a strange twist to them but Tobirama can guess the reasons behind that. Madara is Izuna’s beloved aniki, after all, and this is a version of Madara. The formalities must be rather awkward-feeling to the angel.

”Uchiha-sama,” he copies respectfully. Something flickers in this odd Madara’s eyes, gone too quickly for him to even try to guess at it’s nature. Kou, though, seems surprised in some way. Perhaps they weren’t expecting the docile manner the two have adopted. If that’s the case, Tobirama can’t imagine why they would let him run around without the chakra cuffs like they have.

”Sit,” Madara urges. Tobirama would much rather remain standing but he hasn’t the choice. He sits across from Madara and Izuna, across from Kou. He curls his tail around himself, watching the three Uchiha at the table warily. No matter that Izuna is not part of _this_ Uchiha clan, his instincts still yell at him to retreat, that this is a very much three-on-one match. Not that he can trust Izuna will _help_ them, but he knows that the two humans will at least split their strengths between the two of them.

”Feel free to eat,” Kou adds, covering his own plate with various food from the collection. Madara grabs some food as well, both seemingly at ease. After a small hesitation, Izuna follows their lead, carefully picking out only food the other two grabbed. Tobirama collects some food for appearance’s sake but he already knows he won’t be eating anything. He’s always had something against eating in front of others, something his summons had assured him was normal for a snow leopard. They aren’t very social creatures.

“Tobirama and Izuna, correct?” Madara asks after a moment. He continues before either of them can get any more out than a short nod, “so what were you doing in Uchiha territory? You looked in pretty rough shape when we first found you and our medics had a bit of trouble healing you up.” Tobirama has to force himself to keep relaxed but he can’t stop him ears or tail from twitching. Thankfully, none of the Uchihas, angel or not, seem to pick up on it. Or, more likely, they don’t understand cat-speak well enough to know the emotions under the actions.

”We were in a battle,” Izuna explains truthfully. “Tobirama here decided to play around with things outside his control.”

”It was a risk I was willing to take in order for a chance for the battle to be over,” Tobirama cuts in, as much for this other Madara as Izuna. “It was successful, just... not in the manner that I first expected.” Madara leans forward, food forgotten.

”And what _had_ you expected?” He asks, eyes narrowed. His magic- _chakra_ , Tobirama corrects -churns in curiosity and suspicion. The first even _faintly_ normal response the human has had to him.

”Our deaths,” Tobirama says simply. “Mine more than Izuna’s but...” He trails off, unwilling to say outright that he had been aiming for the angel. He and Izuna are working together, for however long that lasts, and he’d rather not end their fragile peace over something as trivial as a family feud. Even if said feud ended in the deaths of both of their brothers.

”A noble sacrifice,” Madara says. Wry humor colours his voice and Tobirama shoves down the bubbling anger. To make fun of him like this is insulting, particularly since _this_ Madara knows nothing of him.

”And you ended up in our territory by complete accident,” Kou finishes with a frown. The two humans exchange a look. It’s one that speaks, something that Tobirama has never understood or experienced. To know someone so completely would be difficult in a clan of demons, even more so when, like Tobirama, your basest instincts are tied so intrinsically in an animal that would really just prefer to be alone.

”You will be trying to return to your own home, I assume?” Kou asks.

”If we can,” Izuna says before Tobirama can get a word in edgewise. He shoots the angel an annoy look, his fur bristling at the assumption. Even if he _could_ figure out how to backtrack them through _universes_ , the likelihood that he would allow _Izuna_ to return is slim to none. On top of that, Tobirama could hardly return without Izuna for risk of sparking even more Uchiha rage to be directed at his Anija.

So no, regardless of personal wants, they will _not_ be returning to their own universe.

”We’ll allow you asylum, then, until you figure your situation out,” Madara says simply. Then he pauses, an expression strangely sheepish flitting over his face for a moment. “That is, of course, if you would like to stay here in the mean time?” Tobirama’s first reaction is to deny but... where else does he have to go? To a Senju clan with mirrors of his own family that don’t know him or trust him?

”We’ll stay,” Tobirama says quietly. Izuna eyes him, surprised, but doesn’t say anything to refute him. “Although... I must ask. Why are you so willing to help us?” Both Kou and Madara pause. Madara glances at Kou, who only motions at him a sort of ‘go on’ way.

”Well... superstition, I suppose,” the Uchiha clan head says carefully, offering a shrug when Tobirama arches a brow at him. Superstition is understandable, he supposes, though he had never taken Madara as the type. Then again, this isn’t the Madara he’s used to.

”If that’s all,” Kou says, getting up from his place at the table, “I’ll bring you back to your quarters. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask for me. It seems I’ll be at your disposal for your stay here.” Tobirama stands as well, his food left entirely untouched. Kou glances down at his plate and then at him, more notably his ears and tail, before nodding to himself.

”I’ll also ask for dinner to be delivered to your quarters for you,” he says. “If you have any suggestions, please offer them now.” Izuna finally stands, sharp eyes flickering to Madara once as his wings puff. Tobirama opens his mouth slightly, instinctively. He can taste the chaffed skin of the angel’s wings, the man’s hesitance, and, to a lesser extent, something Tobirama refuses to believe is awe-filled respect coming from both human Uchihas.

”Can you release my companions wings?” He asks, eyes firmly on Madara. Kou may be their keeper and the eldest currently around, but Madara is the clan head. “The binds are likely painful for him, though he will never admit to such, and it is unhealthy for him if he is unable to properly stretch and take care of his wings.” Guesswork but if it works to convince Madara, it works. Izuna doesn’t so much as glance at him but the surprise is almost palpable, even if he’s quit tasting the air. He’ll undoubtedly be subject to an interrogation, once they’ve been brought back to the relative privacy of their temporary quarters.

”Will he pose a danger to me or mine?” Madara returns, matching Tobirama’s gaze.

”No,” he says, sure it’s the truthful answer. If Izuna is anything like Tobirama, or the Madara of their own world, then he will value family too highly to cause harm to even these alternate versions. This Madara searches his face quizzically for a moment before his dark eyes slide to Izuna. He nods, apparently deciding to trust Tobirama.

”I’ll send someone over,” he agrees. Tobirama dips his head respectfully.

”Thank you.” With that, Kou is finally allowed to lead them back to the guest house.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _For two days, Tobirama and Izuna are left mostly alone..._
> 
> _... The third day, Madara returns._

For two days, Tobirama and Izuna are left mostly alone. Kou will visit to make sure they have all that they need and to give them some company but, besides him and their omnipresent guards, they’re left alone. It’s odd. Tobirama takes the time to experiment with the ‘chakra’ of this world.

It’s not very similar to magic, for all that he had originally thought it was. It’s easier to predict but significantly harder to control. He can pull at the natural chakra of his surroundings a little but he can’t use or shape it in the way he can magic. Magic isn’t held within in him so much as it _is_ him. He and Izuna are made of magic, these mostly human forms saturated in the energy. If they were to drop pretenses fully and allow their true forms through, the magic would draw more inwards, but it still would be held in the same manner as something like blood, which is apparently closer to how chakra works, as far as he can tell.

The humans are vessels for their chakra and they don’t take any from the natural world. The _create_ it, just as the create blood. Perhaps, if the limitations on chakra were the same as those on magic, or vice versa, the chakra-users would be more powerful than Izuna and Tobirama’s more human forms. But what ifs are hardly helpful at the moment, no matter how much he longs to research and experiment.

The third day, Madara returns. This time with this universes’ Hikaku in tow. The pair step into the room and Tobirama’s ears flatten instinctually though he manages to tamp down on the growl rising in his chest. Hikaku- he had actually fought against his world’s Hikaku, seen the man spill more Senju blood that Tobirama will ever be comfortable with. Madara had always been preoccupied with Hashirama and Izuna with him, Kou had died before Tobirama ever even reached the battlefield, but Hikaku had none of that holding him back (of course death, as in Kou’s case, was a bit more than _holding back_ but the point remains unchanged).

Hikaku and Madara pause in the doorway, clearly picking up on Tobirama’s distaste. Izuna gives him a look over the table, wings puffing out a bit. A warning, perhaps. He watches a stray feather float to the ground, clenching his brush tighter in his hand. This Hikaku hasn’t killed his family, he reminds himself sharply, switching to glaring down at the notes he had been writing before the two Uchiha had come. They’re bullshit about trans-dimensional and trans-universal travel, scribbled down when Izuna refused to stop bothering him about getting back to their home. Former home.

”Tobirama-sa-san?” Madara asks with an odd hesitance. He wasn’t going to say ‘san’ originally, Tobirama notes. His eyes narrow and he lifts them to regard the Uchiha clan head curiously. What was that slip?

”Uchiha-sama,” he says after a moment. Surprise flickers across Hikaku’s face for a short second, almost too fast for him to catch. The same reaction Kou had had at Tobirama’s honorific. How strange. When Izuna takes a beat too long to say anything, Tobirama kicks him under the table. Discretely, of course. The angel jerks, wide eyes trained first on Tobirama and then snapping to their guests like he’s just realized their presence. Tobirama... wouldn’t be surprised.

”Oh! Uh, Ani- M- Uchiha-sama!” He splutters, wings twitching though he keeps his flailing to an admirable minimum. Flailing, apparently, is something the two living Uchiha brothers of his home universe have in common. Izuna just doesn’t do it quite as often. Or on the battlefield. Tobirama sends the angel a wholly unimpressed look. He gets a glare in return but the embarrassed flush takes much of the power out of it.

”You brought someone else along,” Tobirama prompts before his former rival and temporary ally can make a fool of himself again. Madara nods, drawing a curiously confused gaze away from Izuna.

”This is Hikaku, my cousin,” he introduces with an unneeded motion of his hand. “Hikaku, these are Tobirama-san and Izuna-san.” Hikaku dips his head, something Izuna copies immediately. Tobirama follows suit after a moment of hesitation. Hikaku... relaxes? Another mystery to add to the growing pile. He has a feeling they’re all related and have to do something with him, though he can’t think of what. Madara leads his cousin further into the room and Tobirama’s muscles bunch automatically. Every instinct in him is yelling at him to create distance, that this is not a situation he wants to be in. He ignores them. They serve their purpose well on the battlefield but this is much more political and will need a more delicate touch than fighting does.

”May we sit?” Madara asks politely.

”Of course,” Izuna says instantly. Madara gives a short glance to Tobirama as he nods his agreement and with that, the two humans take their seats. Madara next to Tobirama and Hikaku across the table, at Izuna’s side. Tobirama shifts slightly, tail curling around himself to keep it from twitching anxiously. He removes his notes before either Uchiha can get a good look at them. No need for their captors - hosts, now, he supposes - to cotton onto _that_ particular fact. He’s not sure how knowing the two are from an alternate world would affect their treatment of the non-humans, if at all, but he’s not willing to find out. Tobirama keeps his eyes carefully on Izuna or on the table, holding his tail gently under the table to give his hands something to do.

”How have you been?” The words are strange to hear with Madara‘s voice, stranger still to reconcile with the force of nature that had always been Hashirama’s one and only equal. This Madara and that Madara are different, he has to remind himself. It’s been proven multiple times that he and Izuna are in little danger here unless they prove themselves untrustworthy.

“Fine,” Izuna answers for them. “We’ve been fine.”

”Have you made any progress with returning to your home?” The ‘ _wherever it might be_ ’ isn’t spoken but Tobirama hears it regardless. Or maybe that’s his own mind, trying a different angle. His eyes flick over to the notes for a second. Perhaps it isn’t magic he needs to focus on but rather-

No. He forces his attention away from the notes. He’s already decided that staying here would be in the best interest of everyone in their home universe. He’s not going to change his mind.

”No,” he lies smoothly.

”Perhaps I can-“ Hikaku cuts himself off, apparently taking note of Tobirama’s unease. He can feel his fangs poking through his humanoid disguise. He clenches clawed hands, forcing his magic back around him like a cloak. His senses dull almost instantly, his muscles relaxing when he can’t clearly scent Hikaku and Madara, their presences beyond sight and sound forced from his mind.

”It’s fine,” he says. “I’ll compile some of my notes so that you can look them over.” The words feel like lead in his mouth but he refuses to back down now that he’s offered.

”I- thank you. Is there- May I ask why you don’t like me?” Hikaku asks, hesitant. Izuna snorts, waving a hand.

”Don’t take it personally. He doesn’t like me, either,” the angel says loftily. The edge of Tobirama’s lips twitch. Cunning little bird, that one.

”I’d like you better if you weren’t such a brat,” he snipes back. His companion gasps dramatically, pressing one hand to his chest and laying the other over his forehead.

”How _dare_ you!” He drops his hands to grab at the edge the table as he leans forward, attitude turning almost sultry even though amusement lingers in his eyes. “I bet you wouldn’t say that-“ He cuts off with a squawk, grabbing at the bruising mark where the wooden handle of Tobirama’s brush struck him in the middle of his forehead.

”Try again,” he says innocently. “See what happens.” As Izuna starts complaining about his injury - it’ll be healed the second Izuna lets go of the tight reigns on his magic, Tobirama knows - he turns to their Uchiha guest. Madara is snickering and even Hikaku looks shyly amused.

”Was there anything else you needed?” He asks over the angel’s muttered threats, none of which are particularly threatening. Hikaku shakes his head but Madara turns more towards him.

”Sort of,” the clan head admits. “I was wondering if you, either of you, would like to spar or come over for dinner or do anything, really, to get out of this house. I know that it’s not very fun, getting cooped up in a guest house for too long of a time.”

”Your library,” he says before he can think it through. He grimaces and corrects himself, “I would like to visit your library, if you’ll allow it.” Madara waves him off, clearly amused.

”I can do that. What about Izuna?” As one, they turn to the angel. Izuna had started chattering to Hikaku at some point and they seem to be getting along well, even if Tobirama can tell Izuna is struggling to keep from acting the same around this Hikaku as he (presumably) would around the other Hikaku.

”...I doubt he’s one for research,” Tobirama says eventually. “Sparring might be more up his alley.” Madara side eyes him, clearly curious.

”You two didn’t know each other too well before this, I take it?” Tobirama shakes his head.

”We were hardly what you would call friends. Rivals would be more apt- I could tell you a lot about his fighting style but very little about him outside of battle,” he explains, careful to stay away from the whole on-opposite-sides-of-a-war part of that. Madara hums, nodding in an almost knowingly way.

”My friend and I- we were like that for a while. It was... difficult, to separate the man he was on the battlefield to the man he was off,” The clan head agrees. Tobirama blinks. An ear twitches. This world’s Hashirama? It sounds like... like this world’s Uchiha and Senju clans have stopped their fighting. “I’m sure you’ll meet the idiot sometime.” The addition only further cements the idea that there is at least some form of peace in this universe. He thinks about his Hashirama and about what it would be like to meet this Hashirama. The thought leaves a bad taste in his mouth and he shifts slightly, uncomfortable.

”May we go to the library today?” Tobirama asks, switching the subject with all the subtlety of an explosion. Madara hums.

”Sure, I don’t see why not. I only have a bit of paperwork to do- moving to the library would be no trouble.” Tobirama turns fully towards Madara, a bit of an awkward thing to do when they’re sitting next to each other.

”You needn’t accompany me if it would be an inconvenience. I can wait for a better time or ask Kou-san,” he says. Madara shifts to match him, grinning.

”Trust me, any excuse to get out of that stuffy office is a good one. Moving to the library with you would hardly inconvenience me,” Madara assures. Tobirama swallows thickly, ears flattening. More in embarrassment, this time, and he wishes, not for the first time, that his animalistic features didn’t give his emotions away so easily. He averts his eyes, ducking his head in silent thanks. His fascination his world’s Madara had been annoying, before. Now it’s beginning to get troublesome. He slides fluidly to his feet, tail curling slightly to keep from brushing the ground.

”I’ll grab what I need then,” He says quietly.

”Be back for dinner, honey,” Izuna says, sickly sweet. Tobirama picks up and throws a chopstick at the angel before he can react. It hits dead center, exactly where his brush had hit.


	5. Chapter 5

Tobirama collects several empty notebooks and scrolls from his room on top of the one he already has. He knows himself well enough now to know that a trip to any library will necessitate the extra materials. He also grabs a new brush with matching ink, not willing to go through the trouble of forcing Izuna to return his original brush. Then he takes a moment, releasing a sharp breath as he pressed his eyes shut. He had to get a hold of himself. No matter what’s happening, he can’t let himself show weakness. There are too many moving variables, too many people to take into account, for him to keep making mistakes like he has. Think, what would Butsuma have done? He’d have thought it through, done what was best for the clan, he-

He wouldn’t have done that. He would have killed this Uchiha clan, even though they’re from an entirely different universe. Even though they’re _human_ and innocent in the angel-demon war. Izuna wouldn’t let him, regardless. The angel is his equal after all.

He forces his breathing to level out, throwing the thoughts of his father away. Butsuma’s supposed actions won’t help him. Neither will Hashirama’s. As much as he loves his Anija, Tobirama recognizes that he would - _will_ \- do whatever necessary to secure peace. He opens his eyes, finally. He can’t rely on his family here. He has no family here, not really. He needs to do things his own way because if he doesn’t, he may very well not make it out with his life. (Would that really be so bad?)

Tobirama slides out of his room, one hand on the bag containing his things. Madara is waiting down the hall, near the door, leaning against the wall. The human is entirely relaxed but it doesn’t surprise him as much as it would of a few days ago. Tobirama’s beginning to get used to the Uchihas’ odd behavior around him, especially, and Izuna, to a lesser extent. Speaking of the angel, he can hear him oohing and aahing over a story Hikaku’s telling. Something about Kou, squirrels, and why Hikaku will never trust kindly old women again.

”It’s a classic story Hikaku uses to embarrass Aniki,” Madara says. Tobirama hums, raising a brow as he comes to a stop next to the Uchiha. The man shrugs, ears turning pink. 

”You looked a bit, I don’t know, confused? And amused, at least. I figured you’d be able to hear Hikaku, so I just thought...” Madara trails off.

”Do I want to know the full story?” Tobirama asks dryly. Madara snorts, running a hand over his face. Gloved, because both- because Madara seems to have something against baring his hands. Paranoia, maybe, but Madara doesn’t act like a paranoid man.

”Not- not really,” Madara says with a sigh. “It’s rather... traumatizing, even if you weren’t there. Are you ready?”

”I am,” Tobirama says, tapping his bag lightly. Madara smiles and pushes away from the wall. He heads out the door and Tobirama lets himself fall in step with the man. Leaving the house and it’s many seals, even if they’re not meant to suppress magic, is like a breath of fresh air. He hadn’t realized how much they pressed down on his senses. They’ve hardly gone anywhere before catches a mouth watering taste on his tongue. His pace falters for only half a heartbeat, long enough for him to shove the idea of fresh fish out of his mind, but it’s enough for Madara to side eye him curiously. He ignores the Uchiha, silently cursing his overly sharp senses and his love of fish. After a moment, Madara’s gaze slides away.

”Do you like researching?” The Uchiha asks as he turns them down another path.

”I do,” Tobirama answers easily. “I like finding the answers.”

”To what?” Madara ushers him to the side of the path just as a gaggle of young Uchiha shinobi race pasts, shouting and laughing. His eyes follow them for a moment. He wonders for a breath how his students, few as they are, are doing in his former universe.

”Everything,” he says to Madara, letting his eyes drift to the human. “Anything.” Madara grins.

”Everything seems a rather lofty goal,” The Uchiha teases lightly, turning to a building that could only be the library. Tobirama follows him up the steps and through the doorway. Libraries are the one thing that will never change he thinks, even between universes. Their smell and quiet air eases tension from him he hadn’t even realized he had felt.

”Perhaps,” he agrees. “But it’s _mine_.” And Madara, this one or the last, won’t understand the emphasis he puts on the word. Few people would. He smiles at the Uchiha clan head. “Your paperwork,” he reminds. Madara stares at him, uncomprehending. Then he flushes, pressing a hand over his eyes.

”I didn’t forget it,” Madara insists, not very convincingly. “I... finished it all.”

”In the two minutes it took me to grab what I needed, you manages to get to your office, finish your work, and return? Impressive,” Tobirama says, dry. The Uchiha turns a darker shade of red. The color is beginning to look rather tomato-like. Madara drops his hand in order to fake a prim look.

”It is,” he agrees. “I’m glad you’ve realized that.”

”I recommend you give it up,” a new voice drawls. Madara and Tobirama turn as one to the librarian, who regards them with amusement when she looks up from her book. “Madara-sama’s a stubborn man. It’s easier to let him reap the consequences,” she tacks on. Tobirama stills at the less-than-respectful words and tone, expecting Madara to react just as his alternate would. He doesn’t- just makes an offended noise clearly more for show that any true offense.

”Aren’t you supposed to respect me and support me and whatever?” Madara complains.

”I do,” the librarian insists. “But everyone knows you’re the most stubborn of your siblings. An amazing feat, to be sure.” Madara makes a face at the woman and grabs Tobirama’s arm.

”At least _Tobirama_ likes me, even if my own clan doesn’t,” he huffs before turning them towards the books themselves. “Come on, Tobirama.” With that, they leave the laughing librarian behind. 


	6. Chapter 6

The library is smaller than he’d like. After Madara had released him, somewhere back in the humanitarian section of all places, he had found his way to their chakra-related section. Chakra is apparently channeled into ‘jutsus’ instead of spells and they are at once better and worse. They don’t take as much time to prepare, as far as he can tell, but they also seem to have a much lower versatility. The most versatile section is Fūinjutsu, which holds a certain resemblance to his favored runic-based magics. Unfortunately, they have a meager total of three books on the subject, one of which seems to just be waxing poetic about the ‘art of the seal’. That one, he admits, he had wanted to burn. The other two books were at varying levels of usefulness. That is to say- the one written by an Uchiha went redundantly over the basics again and again while the other, written a no-name shinobi, went only a little more in-depth. Regardless, he was able to learn enough about seals that he’s fairly certain he can find a way for them to be useful to him.

He’s read through just five books when Madara pulls him away, though he skimmed through a little over twenty in total. The only reason he lets the Uchiha pull him away from the library, pitiful as it is, is because he’s run out of ink, something he had foolishly forgotten to prepare for when collecting his materials. He’s fairly disappointed in himself regarding that.

Madara winds them back through the bustling streets of the compound. They’re heading in roughly the direction they had come from, Izuna’s magic and the wards of the guest house burning somewhere ahead, even if they don’t follow the exact path back. Their course, if they keep going, will bring them to the largest concentration of chakra. A market or something similar, he would think. He frowns uncertainly, ears flicking back. While the Uchiha have been nothing but (concerningly) welcoming, he’s not sure he wants to be surrounded by them. His pace, slowed by his thoughts, pulls Madara’s attention fully to him and his traitorous ears, still pulled back as they are. His tail, at least, is behaving.

”Is everything alright?” The clan head asks, curiosity mixed mixed with that oddly hesitant note that all the Uchiha seem to take on when Tobirama shows flickers of any emotion not contentedness. That _still_ pulls at him, more so when put together with Madara’s answer of ‘superstition’. It rankles, that he’s so off-kilter here, that he doesn’t understand these mirrors of his enemy like he should be able to. He resolves to look for it the next time Madara allows him out to the library.

”I don’t like crowds,” he answers finally, not quite a lie. He doesn’t like crowds or interacting with others in general but that isn’t the main cause for his wariness.

”Ah, I should have...” Madara trails off awkwardly, rocking on his feet slightly as he clasps his hands together in front of him, much like a nervous or guilty child would. It’s... strangely endearing, coming from a man he knows (not really, never really knows if any of what applies to his former universe applies to this one) to be vicious on the battlefield.

”It’s fine,” he says, just as awkward. “Where were we going, if I may ask?”

”To get food,” Madara answered promptly. “I noticed you took an interest in- something, on our way here, and since it was when we passed the food stalls...” The Uchiha is looking rather hopeful. Perhaps because he wants Tobirama to go? He doesn’t understand why Madara would have reason to look _hopeful_ about that but it’s not like this Uchiha clan has given him any reasons for the majority of their strangeness.

”...Fish?” He finally caves. Madara grins.

”Fish it is. We can take the food to go, even, if that’d make you more comfortable.” It would, so he agrees. Reluctantly, because he can’t have the man knowing his tolerance to puppy eyes. That is to say, none. A horrible thing, when he grew up with Hashirama of all people. The trouble his brothers got him into...

The closer they get to the market, the more uncomfortable Tobirama gets. He knows he’s moved closer to Madara, as the only man he knows in these crowds, and that his tail has begun to bristle. His magic lingers just under his skin, begging to be used. Maybe he’ll ask Izuna for a spar, after this. Of course, considering they’re traditionally enemies, any spar between them might escalate so it’s perhaps not the best idea. Madara stops at a food stall, chatting brightly with the Uchiha running it. An injured warrior, it seems. Too injured to fight, he notes. Likely in the constant warring between the Uchiha and- is this Uchiha clan at war with an alternate Senju clan? Tobirama casts a look around, taking in the happy, _relaxed_ people. Are they at war at all?

”Your fish,” Madara says suddenly. He looks back to his guide, taking the food with a thankful hum. He gets a smile in return and then the Uchiha leads him from the market. He takes small bites of his food as they walk, the scent of the fish and his hungriness overpowering what little resistance his instincts put up. Madara talks as they walk between mouthfuls of his own food about nothing really important. It nice, though, and keeps his mind from wandering to less savory topics as it is oft to do when he’s not paying attention. Still, he’s happy when they return back to the house where Tobirama and Izuna are staying. He’s had entirely too much contact with what amounts to former enemies today. His nerves are fried. Curling up with his notes in his room sounds perfect, at the moment. He says his goodbyes to the cheerful Madara, who he makes sure to remind about the paperwork (and gets a pouty glare for his efforts), and then he closes the door. Hikaku is gone but Izuna’s still around, unfortunately. Couldn’t have Hikaku taken his annoying cousin with him?

”Have a nice date, Tobes?” Izuna drawls, popping out from some room to keep him from getting to his own. He glares at the angel but Izuna doesn’t look terribly affected, to his annoyance.

”It wasn’t a date,” he hisses. “And don’t call me that.” Izuna smirks, leaning forward. Tobirama flashes his fangs but holds back from attacking the Uchiha. Dark feathers ruffles, wings arched in preparation and in threat. Tobirama has the advantage in close quarters but even so, these aren’t good conditions for either of them. Beyond that, they’re missing their weapons. Doesn’t make them any less dangerous but it does make any fight between them more likely to attract the attention of their guards. Finally, Izuna steps to the side, wings drawn up to himself to allow Tobirama to pass. He stalks down the hall to his room, ignoring Izuna’s sickly saccharine call of, “sweet dreams, Tobes.”

His magic crackles along his skin as he collapses against the door to his room, begging to be released. A transformation is in order, he thinks.


	7. Chapter 7

He doesn’t let himself shift fully. Can’t, when in the mortal plane. For all that they use it as a battlefield, they know that shifting fully into their demonic or angelic forms without a contract binding them to a summoner on the mortal plane is _dangerous_ and few would lower themselves to that. Of course, if the legends and rumors are to be believed, tying yourself to a human would only make you stronger. It does come with unfortunate side affects, however, and that’s what they tend to focus on. He stretches languidly, relieved to let his human-like illusion slip even this small amount. His legs had changed with the transformation, taking on a more feline appearance but keeping just enough human-like build for him to stay bipedal. He has paw pads as well, on both his hands and feet. Itama had taken an odd fascination with them, and with the fur on his forearms and legs. Tobirama still doesn’t know what Itama had found so amusing and had been endlessly irritated when the younger had taken to pressing at his pad so Tobirama would show his claws.

How he misses that. Misses Itama and Kawarama. Misses Hashirama as well, now.

He slides to his paws, arching his arms above him to crack his back. He barely takes a breath to adjust to the change in center of gravity and walking, padding the several steps to his bed. His magic is calming, the waves dying off into ripples. The real question is what to do. He needs to roam, has been stuck in this house for far to long. His tail flicks irritably. The guards will be annoying. He could lose them rather easily but that could also gain the clan’s ire and he must admit he... likes the relative freedom they’ve given him. If they stop him, he’ll explain himself. If they don’t, he’ll let them follow. The problem would be if they don’t allow him to roam as he needs. He may be able to use their respect for him against them but he doesn’t know the source of the feelings so manipulating them will be difficult. Beyond that, these Uchiha have done nothing to prove themselves enemies and he’d be remiss to change that or take it for granted.

He levers his room’s window open then hops up easily to perch on the sill. He drops lightly to the ground, pausing to check for the whereabouts of his hosts. The guards have shifted to account for his movements but they don’t seem inclined to approaching him. The market is still bustling, though less so than earlier in the day when he had gone through it with Madara. The clan head himself is in his house, Kou and two others with him. Hikaku is there, as well. There are fewer Uchiha in the area of the compound where Izuna and Tobirama are staying but that’s not to say there’s none. He turns away from where most of the Uchiha are and begins his journey to the surrounding forest, keeping carefully out of view. Two guards broke away from the larger group to follow him and he pays careful attention to the tap of their shoes against the roofs. Traveling by roof is unusual but both the guards seem at ease so he can only assume that traveling in that manner in more common, here.

His guards keep easy pace with his lope and that only puts him more on edge. Travel by rooftop can hardly be safe, however used to it the practitioners are. He stays on the slower end to account for his followers, pausing not and then to check both on the guards and to make sure the rest of the Uchiha in the compound are at no risk of stumbling into his path. He reaches the compound wall in no time and pauses at it’s edge, peering curiously upwards. There are more guards pacing the length of the wall, both within and on top, though there doesn’t seem to be anyone on the ground directly outside the wall. He tilts his head, consideringly. His paws itch to move. He huffs quietly and crouches to draw the needed runes. The guards follow him tense, their chakra spiking. He shifts to the side, allowing them to see what he’s making. It’ll be more difficult without an anchor but such a short jump will hardly affect his magic stores adversely. He gathers just enough magic to activate the array and places his fingertips carefully at the edge. In a blink, he’s on the other side of the wall. There was no flash, no whisper of sound. The battle-ready version of the spell is significantly more flashy, in order to distract the enemy. He has yet to actually _use_ that particular version and using it in a spar again Izuna will make it loose much of it’s surprise value if he needs to use it at a separate time, when (if) they return to their outright animosity instead of this careful balancing game they’ve fallen prey to.

One of his guards drops to where he had drawn the seal, undoubtedly smudged from the magic poured into it. The other hops to the top of the wall and pauses beside the signature of another guard. He can hear the soft murmur of conversation whispered between them but the exact words are lost to even him. A moment later, his ear twitches at the quiet crunch of his guard’s feet hitting the ground near him. He doesn’t bother looking, recognizing the familiar way the Uchiha’s chakra cloaks them as an illusion. A strong one, at that, but illusions are for mortals. They would have to be far more powerful to work on beings of divinity or, as is in his case, those of the opposite inclination.

He starts out at a trot and finds his guard able to keep up handily, even if the man insists on moving by tree, hopping between branches like a particularly overgrown squirrel. He circles the edge of the forest a few times before deciding on an aimless direction. He also increases his pace, curious to how fast he can go before his guard finds themselves outmatched. He finds his steadily increasing speed slowed only when he comes to a border, the scent of which far lighter than those laid by his feline cohorts. Regardless, he needs the clearly well trod line, turning to take off at a punishing pace in a different direction. His guard keeps up for almost a full loop of the territory before he begins to flag. Tobirama slows in response, stopping entirely at a small creek which he immediately finds himself walking in, heading roughly in the direction of the compound. As they near the compound, he sends a glance into the trees, meeting his guard’s surprised eyes with a challenge in his eyes if not on his lips.

 _Again?_ He asks without words, tail twitching as his focus narrows solely to the man. There’s only a slight hesitation, likely caused more from surprise that anything, before the man grins, all sharp edges and vicious lines.

 _Of course,_ the man communicates with just as many words. Tobirama allows a smug twitch of his lips. He’ll have to make a habit of this, it seems. He’s issued this man a challenge, after all, and they were foolish enough to accept. He’ll be nice, this time, and give the man a break before their next outing. They’re going to need it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing really plot-related, sorry folks! Just Tobi having some fun and blowing off some steam!


	8. Chapter 8

Tobirama sleeps better that night than he has in a long time. The run, while not particularly long nor difficult, had rid him of some of his excess energy and his magic had settled, the strain on it less when he allowed himself to linger in his more feline form. His place here played a part in it as well. It’s safer than his home universe, no matter who is playing host to him.

It was birdsong, interspersed with the shriek of falcons and other large prey birds, that wakes him. It’s early, the sun only just breaking over the horizon, and he stretches in the few filtered sunbeams that make it into his room, basking in the weak light. The sun warms him as he lets his his fur, claws, and paw pads melt away, letting his human-like guise slide into place once more. He lets himself laze for a couple minutes longer before dragging himself from his small piece of comfort. An ear twitches and he focuses on Izuna’s scent and presence for a moment. The angel is still in his room, asleep or otherwise unwilling to start the day. After their last interaction, the tension built over years of fighting each other rearing it’s head at last, he feels little inclination to see Izuna again so soon.

He slips from his room and down the hall, veering into the kitchen. He makes himself breakfast in the relative silence, letting the taps of the guards’ feet against the roof- still a strange thought, he’ll need to investigate -fade into white noise. He doesn’t bother making anything fancy, more interested in exploring the Uchiha compound than cooking. He eats his food quickly, hearing the sounds of Izuna stirring in his room, apparently ready to start the day. Unwilling to go without his coffee, he takes it with him as he slips from the house. He pauses outside the doorway for a moment, reacclimatizing himself to the humans everywhere. It’ll get worse the farther into the compound he goes but if he moves at a slower pace, he should be able to get used to the crowds and explore farther.

He paces down the street, ears on his guard (different than the one the night before, he notes) and eyes on his surroundings. He moves along in a large circle at first before he shoves his unease into a box and turns inward, changing his path into a gentle spiral that will lead him to the center of the village. He’ll skip by the street with the Library- if he passes the building, he’ll get drawn in and won’t leave until the night.

He stops, staring down the street in front of him. His guard’s chakra twist, flickers in a strange way that he believes represents amusement. He is... concerned. Not for himself, no. For this Uchiha clan. Specifically, who ever incurred the wrath of the two twins setting up what looks to be a Very Chaotic Prank. He glances around. There’s nobody else on the street, for some reason, giving the twins full reign of the area.

”Excuse me?” He asks cautiously. One twin startles badly enough to fall flat on his face but the other just blinks before turning to him with a bright grin.

”Hello how may we-“ The man cuts off, staring at him with wide eyes. He shifts uncomfortably, rocking when he almost falls back into an instinctive fighting position.

”Oh,” the second twin says after he’s dragged himself to his feet, one hand cupped over his nose. “You’re Madara-nii’s guest... aren’t you?”

”...Nii?” Tobirama repeats, skeptical. The twins have the traits all Uchiha share- dark hair and eyes, pale skin -but beyond that, they look nothing like Madara or even Izuna. Although... He looks them over again. They share a certain resemblance with Kou, though there are still large differences.

”Yup!” The first twin chirps.

”You don’t share many traits with him,” Tobirama pushes. The first one, apparently the more outgoing of the two, laughs.

”People say that all the time, don’t worry! Madara looks just like our mom but we take after our dad’s side. Especially Tatsuo-jii and Minoru-ji,” he explains. “I’m Togakushi, by the way! Call me Toga, please. This is my twin, Kuro!” Well, there’s certainly no disputing the fact that they’re twins. They’re nearly identical.

”Are you looking for Madara-sama?” The second twin, Kuro, asks quietly. He seems utterly unbothered but his eyes are sharp and Tobirama catch him glancing up towards his guard for a sliver of a second. Izuna had said Kuro was the most political of the brothers, hadn’t he? Kuro certainly seems like he’d be better at it than his energetic twin but the man doesn’t look or sound like he’d be able to stand up to other players on the political field for very long.

”No,” Tobirama says truthfully. “I was exploring and hadn’t wanted to bother him. I had thought the guard tailing me would be enough.” That gives even Togakushi pause. Was he... not supposed to know about the guard?

”You know where he is?” Kuro muses. “You must be a strong sensor.” He is but it’s rather amusing that sensing is the first thing the Uchiha jumped to.

”I can hear and smell him,” Tobirama says blandly. Better they know something that should be obvious than something than something he could keep secret and use against them, if necessary.

”Really?” Togakushi says, surprised. “That’s incredible!” He levels the other man a flat look.

”Did you think my ears were for show or are you simply that ignorant?” Togakushi splutters, insulted and off guard, as he turns red in embarrassment. Kuro snickers, apparently not feeling all that bad for his twin. Tobirama stifles an amused smile of his own. No matter how easy they are to get along with, they are Uchiha and it is safer if he refrains from making friends with them.

”Do you want to get lunch? We were just headed to get some of our own,” Kuro offers as his sibling grumbles absurd threats under his breath. Tobirama raises a brow at Kuro, letting his eyes drift pointedly towards where the twins’ prank is still half set up. Kuro stares back innocently.

”I suppose so,” he finally agrees. Togakushi cheers and Kuro smiles in satisfaction, reminding him of a very similar expression Touka would make whenever she successfully bullied him (and Hashirama, to a smaller extent) into doing things.

He suddenly feels like he has made a grave mistake.


	9. Chapter 9

“So, Tobirama, how have you found the Uchiha clan?” Toga asks innocently. Tobirama is immediately suspicious. “Have we... been to your liking?” Tobirama has no idea what the strange inflection on that question is suppose to mean but he also feels it’s safer that way. The twins are already acting suspicious enough, no need to encourage them in any way, shape, or form.

”Your hospitality is commendable,” he says cautiously. The twins share a look that makes his ears flick nervously.

”Madara-nii and Hikaru have been hanging around you and the other one- Izuna, I think? They haven’t been bothering you, have they?” The more outgoing twin pushes. Kuro’s eyes are sharp on him. He stares down the street, senses searching for the marketplace. For once, he regrets his antisocial behavior, wishing for the reprieve of another person. Even Izuna, for all that the angel has been antagonistic recently.

”They have not,” Tobirama says, words a bit slower than usual as he weighs them carefully. The marketplace isn’t far, as long as he keeps the twins from looping him around on a more circuitous route. “Hikaru-san has spent most of his time around us with Izuna-“ not that Tobirama would have it any other way, “-and Madara-sama hasn’t been... overbearing, as a host.” Not quite the wording he was searching for but, being a tad distracted with the whole getting-away-from-mischevious-twins-as-fast-as-possible thing, he thinks he did a good job.

Or not, going by Toga’s absolutely feral grin.

”That’s good,” he says innocently, as though Tobirama is blind and stupid. He is neither, although a surprising amount of people, mostly civilians, see his eyes and assume he’s blind, which is something he might want exploit, at some point. It could be useful for an infiltration mission, although his brother has not had need for an infiltrator in a long time and he is in no place to be asking for missions in this universe.

”You do not make me very confident in your words,” Tobirama informs. Toga laughs and Kuro smirks. From that, he infers that it was purposeful and really, he just wants to go back to when all his interactions with people were either with his brother and cousin, who were upfront with their intentions regarding him, or with his enemies on the battlefield. Murder is significantly easier than social interaction. Maybe a spar would do him good.

...Maybe not, fighting an Uchiha in a clan compound full of them. That spells only disaster, no matter how much control he has. Especially with Izuna lurking about.

”So, how do you feel about our little clan?” Toga asks, falling in step with him on one side as he starts for the marketplace, Kuro on his other. His tail swishes, the tip twitching, but he keeps his ears from pinning. He thinks he might be getting used to the Uchiha, a little. He’s not sure if he likes that or not.

”You are very...” Tobirama searches for a word that hopefully won’t insult his hosts. “Outgoing. Physical.” Kuro hums.

”You are a snow leopard spirit, aren’t you?” The Uchiha muses. Tobirama doesn’t bother correcting him to demon. “I suppose it makes sense that our, ah, closeness and affection may be off-putting.” Tobirama presses his lips into a tight line. Kuro has been the first that seems like he knows the first thing about the animal his soul is based off and it makes him... nervous.

”You have dealt with snow leopards before?” He prods. Kuro shakes his head.

”I had wanted them as my summons, once.” That’s a faintly ominous statement. Do the people here just force animals into their employ? Or, alternatively, spirits? He lets his eyes slide over to Kuro. The man is watching him, doesn’t seem at all uncomfortable with the idea. He images Toga hasn’t had much of a reaction, either. He’ll need to research the subject.

”Hey Tobi~” Toga croons. Tobirama is immediately on edge. He can hear the sounds of the market now, he hopes that means he’ll be free from this soon. Of course, none of that stops him from sniping out a correction.

”Tobi _rama_.” Toga waves him off but Tobirama sees Kuro give his twin a warning glance at the motion. Toga ignores him, as well.

”Tobi,” Toga says stubbornly, “do you like guys?” Tobirama nearly stumbles. He hears Kuro facepalm beside him but is more concerned with the way Toga is watching him intently and the heat rising to his cheeks. What kind of person just _asks_ that? Doesn’t Togakushi have any sense of shame?

”You’re not my type,” he blurts, not exactly a lie, but really, his brain could have been helpful and just _ignored the damn question_. Toga huffs.

”That’s not what I asked,” he says insistently. Tobirama wants to die. He actually, really wants to die. He looks to Kuro to help and finds himself dismayed that the other is clearly curious and trying (badly) to hide it. What did he do to deserve this? He didn’t ask to be sent to a different world and quizzed on his sexuality by some very weird and inquisitive twins! _It wasn’t in his vacation plans!_

“That’s personal,” Tobirama informs. Toga looks entirely unimpressed with his dodge. Thankfully, Tobirama is saved by any further questions by another Uchiha.

”The twins giving you too much trouble?” The woman calls, voice lilting in amusement.

”We’re friends!” Toga call back, offended. Tobirama finds himself dismayed by the claim. Will he ever be free from the pair? Maybe he could ask Madara to keep the twins far, far away from him? The woman laughs. Tobirama is dragged on by, Toga making him go faster by looping his arm around Tobirama’s shoulders. This is sort of making him miss the respect and awe the rest of the Uchiha treat him with. Actually, that gives him an idea.

”Why is the Uchiha clan so... respectful of me?” Tobirama asks cautiously. Kuro frowns, giving him a calculating look. Toga looks a bit blindsided, blinking rapidly to adjust to the sudden change in tone and conversation.

”You don’t know?” Kuro asks, suspicion leaking into his voice. Maybe this was a mistake but there’s no going back now. At least, not without making himself more suspicious.

”I... did not often interact with humans, before,” Tobirama explains. It is not technically a lie; while he did participate in the war against the Uchiha in his former world, neither the Senju nor the Uchiha were humans and humans themselves avoided the Senju for obvious reasons.

”Well, you’re a spirit,” Toga hedges. Tobirama gives him a look, unimpressed.

”You do not treat Izuna with nearly the same... fervor despite him being a spirit as well.” It is only his history with lying that he manages to call Izuna a spirit without giving away that, really, the pair of them are the farthest thing from mere spirits. Neither of the twins seem to have any intentions to actually give him an answer. Kuro stops them at one of the first stands they come across in the market, passing both of them fried squid. It stinks of grease and Tobirama’s smells burnt. He doesn’t mention it, preferring to watch the twins silently. They’re uncomfortable with the topic of conversation. They certainly hadn’t expected to need to explain this to him.

”Well?” He pushes, his patience running out at the third stand he is ushered to. Toga winces, curling into whatever sweet he’s snacking on. Tobirama turns his eyes on Kuro. The other avoids his gaze studiously. “I can always go to Madara-“

”Your eyes,” Toga blurts. Tobirama’s attention swings back to him. Toga seems to shrink further under his watch.

”What about them?” He asks flatly. The twin squirms under the attention.

”They’re red,” Kuro says, as if that explains anything at all.

”Speak plainly,” Tobirama snaps, thoroughly aggravated. His tail is twitching again, more furiously than it has since he arrived here. He doesn’t understand why they are so hesitant to answer him. Are they afraid of his reaction? What could possibly be so difficult about explaining this to him? He knows, now, that it has something to do with his eyes, for some reason, so if they would just elaborate-

“Madara-nii!” Toga calls suddenly, relief painting his voice. Tobirama follows his gaze to find that they had, in fact, run into Madara. He lets out a breath that is more a hiss. The twins are stalling and will likely continue to do so if they get Madara to help them. Madara veers towards them, smiling brightly. Some buried and ignored part of Tobirama softens at the expression. Irritation only mounts in the rest of him. Tobirama manages a short, polite nod to Madara before he turns on his heel and stalks toward the library. If nothing else, books can’t hem and haw and choose not to impart their knowledge. Behind him, he hears Madara asking the twins what they did. Tobirama studiously ignores that and ignores the likelihood that Madara will either follow him or hunt him down later to apologize.

He has things to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I’m alive?


End file.
